Y and en
"There", "about it", "some" and "of it".
y and en are object pronouns too, and go in the same place as the others, before the verb.
y
y replaces a place already mentioned, "there", or à + a thing.
- Are you going to Paris? Yes, I'm going tomorrow.
- Are you thinking about your exam? Yes, I'm thinking about it.
For a person, most verbs take lui or leur before the verb (je lui parle), but penser à, tenir à, s'intéresser à and faire attention à take à and a stressed pronoun: je pense à lui, never je lui pense.
en
en replaces de + a noun: "some", "any", "of it", "of them", or "from there". With a number or a quantity, en stands for the noun and the number stays.
- Do you want some coffee? Yes, I'd love some.
- Do you have any brothers? I have two.
- He often talks about his trip. He talks about it every day.
Phrases with y and en
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Il y a | There is, there are |
| On y va ! | Let's go! |
| Ça y est ! | That's it! Done! |
| Vas-y ! | Go on! Go ahead! |
| Je m'en vais. | I'm leaving. |
| Va-t'en ! | Go away! |
| Il y en a. | There is some. |
| J'en ai marre. | I'm fed up. (casual) |
Cards from this guide
8 cardsEach card asks about one thing this guide teaches, and its back gives the answer with why and an example. They're reviewed with the rest of the Pronouns cards.
What does y stand for in J'y vais?
A place already mentioned: "there".
How do you say "I'm thinking about it"?
J'y pense.
What does en stand for in J'en veux?
"Some" of something already mentioned.
How do you answer "I have three" about brothers?
J'en ai trois.
What does On y va ? mean?
"Shall we go?", or "Let's go."
In what order do y and en go?
y before en: il y en a.
What does Je m'en vais mean?
"I'm leaving."
How do you say "Go ahead!" to a friend?
Vas-y !